by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION — The $1,930,221 draft capital budget for Whitewater Region was approved by council at its Feb. 20 council meeting.
The key highlights of this budget include continued asset rehabilitation/reconstruction; investment in recreational and park infrastructure, continued fleet renewal per fire master plan and technology.
This draft budget, along with the $8,947,116 operating budget and the water and sewer budgets will all be reviewed at the public meeting on Wednesday, March 6 at 6 p.m. during the regular council meeting. Whitewater News has reported on all three of the draft budgets, and this is the final one. All draft budgets are available on the township’s website.
In the general government capital projects, there are two main purchases. A folding machine is listed at $8,000 and $15,000 for computers, ethernet and router.
Treasurer Sean Crozier noted the folding machine will save staff time. He explained that with the most recent tax mailout, “it took three staff two-plus days to fold the tax bills. This takes them away from their own jobs.” He also noted he would like to send out more notices to the ratepayers.
Corporate signage, at $50,000 is the capital project for planning and development. This includes money for the Community Improvement Plant (CIP) that began last year. It will include Phases 1 and 2 this year.
In the protective services – fire department capital projects, $10,000 is being set aside for hoses and nozzles; $45,000 for a half-ton truck to be used for a command vehicle; $350,000 for a fire tucker; $10,000 for self contained breathing apparatus and $20,000 to personal protective equipment.
There were to be two command vehicles purchased, but council thought one would be sufficient for this year.
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay, who was reviewing this in the absence of Chief Jonathan Wilker who was called to the Cobden fire hall, said two will have to be replaced “this year or next.” He noted the Westmeath command vehicle needs to be replaced and the small response vehicle.
Councillor Charlene Jackson questioned if a vehicle that is already enclosed would be a better purchase if they are to be used to move people.
Mayor Mike Moore said since the township is now involved in forest fire fighting, equipment needs to be hauled and the truck is the best way to do that. He noted firefighters used to haul some equipment themselves, but now they don’t want the stinky, dirty hoses in their own vehicles.
“We need a way of getting equipment back to the hall,” he said. “People don’t want those hoses in their own vehicles.”
Coun. Jackson said, “We’re not in a place where we can replace two vehicles in one year. Let’s do one this year and one next year.”
Mayor Moore also questioned if a new tanker had to be purchased while Councillor Chris Olmstead questioned how the new tanker is being paid.
CAO Tremblay noted the new tanker was ordered last year and should arrive in July or July. As for paying it, reserves will be cleared out this year and $150,000 will be put back in over two years. The rest of the amount will be debentured over five years, but could go as many as 20, but that will increase the interest, he noted.
Coun. Olmstead was concerned with the depleting of reserves, noting the trend is going downwards as to replacing the reserves each year.
Upon returning, Chief Wilker noted that the idea is to have “people mover vehicles at all stations.” What this proposal will do is replace three with two, he said.
When it was suggested that only one be purchased this year, he said, “I’m leery of that. Three trucks went down this year. We need to be pro-active.” He also noted that “health and safety is an issue.”
Manager of Community Services Jordan Durocher spoke about the $263,000 capital projects for recreation and tourism, which included fee review, stairwell entrance for Westmeath community hall, Haley townsite park, the Westmeath active living rest stop, Little Lakes lending hub, library/museum parking lot; mower for grass cutting; survey and legal costs for property located near Astrolabe Arena; the bandshell, Lookout landscaping and the Beachburg ice resurfacer replacement.
The fee review was turned down by council so that another year of taking care of the arenas should be completed prior to doing a review of the fees.
The $8,500 for the Haley townsite park is for park enhancement at Tammy Trail and replacement of old playground equipment.
Mayor Moore noted there are two play structures, so does that mean one will be removed and there will be property to be sold?
Mr. Durocher said one play structure was removed last year and the other is 15 years old.
CAO Tremblay said council does own land for additional development. The $8,500 is not enough for playground equipment, just landscaping and tree planting.
Coun. McLaughlin agreed with Mayor Moore, who was in favour of one park – not two, at the Haley townsite.
“I don’t think there’s many children there anymore,” he said. “At one time there was an awful lot of children, but now there’s just a handful.”
The tennis court also needs to be rehabilitated or totally removed, he said, adding, “It’s a dead eyesore.”
Coun. Jackson also agreed, saying, “One playground will suffice, but I think it should be kept up. All of our playground facilities need to be kept up and in good shape.”
As for selling property, she said there could be an issue because no more septic systems are allowed in that area. Originally, this was a housing development for those who worked at the mines, she said. The former Ross Township took over the property in 1974, she added.
To ensure the landscaping is what residents would like in that area, Mr. Durocher said surveys were sent out and received back, so that information is available. It’s park enhancement, not necessarily a playground, he said, with CAO Tremblay adding, when the playground was taken out, council did tell the residents something would be done.
Coun. Olmstead said the money should remain in the Haley Townsite.
“Haley always seems to be the forgotten area and we need to change that,” he said.
The $65,000 Westmeath stairwell roof is to be funded from the accessibility reserve. The Westmeath District Recreation Association received Trillium funding for the stairs and ramp.
The $500 from Westmeath Park Reserve is going towards a covered structure located between the rink and fire hall, Mr. Durocher said.
Coun. Nicholson said the Tour de Whitewater, an annual cycling event in July, has been raising funds.
The Westmeath District Recreation Association (WDRA) is planning to erect a rest station, which would allow people, including cyclists, to come to Westmeath, go for a bike ride and have a structure to sit under while enjoying lunch, taking a break, or just getting out from the sun. There would also be a bicycle repair station, outdoor water fountain, cycling routes on maps and a waterless washroom.
“It’s phased out – as funds become available, the construction will occur,” he said.
Building inspector Doug Schultz will be kept informed of everything to ensure that building codes are met and inspections are done, Coun. Nicholson noted.
There is also hopes of erecting a similar structure in La Passe, Foresters Falls and Haley townsite, then people can bike station to station, “creating a tourist destination,” he explained. It’s expected that people in the communities will be contacted to ensure it’s something they want/need, he said.
“It would be another reason to come to Whitewater,” he said.
Following a question from Coun. Olmstead, CAO Tremblay said the money could come from capital improvements in the CIP for the bike stations.
The $8,000 Little Lakes lending hub, is a 12×16 structure that would house equipment – six standup paddleboards, six kayaks, life jackets and paddles. It would also be another storage area, such as for paper products.
“We’ve been pretty much keeping them in township trucks,” he said. “We would like a home for the paper products.”
The library/museum parking lot will be repaired to the tune of about $10,000. While there was discussion of creating a larger parking lot in the back, it was noted the septic system is also located behind the library.
Coun. McLaughlin said he would rather see the front cleaned so that people could park on the street.
CAO Tremblay noted $10,000 won’t go far but the laneway is in horrible shape, so does need to be repaired.
He added that when the county repairs the county road, which isn’t expected to happen until 2022, fixing the area in front of the library could also be looked at, as well all the roads in Foresters Falls.
There will be $20,000 for a mower; $25,000 for survey and legal costs to obtain 14 acres from cash-in-lieu of parkland on property near the Astrolabe Arena; $6,000 for landscaping at Lookout Park and $10,000 for the bandshell at the municipal park.
Mr. Durocher noted there aren’t many details regarding the bandshell as it’s more of a Cobden Civitan project.
Once the bandshell is completed, it becomes the responsibility of the township since it’s on township property, said Coun. Jackson following a question from Mayor Moore.
CAO Tremblay noted the bandshell is an added feature at the park and will provide a “great location” for weddings and other tourist events.
Coun. McLaughlin, who is a Civitan member, noted drawings are now being done and will be brought to Mr. Schultz for approval.
The Olympica ice-resurfacer is 28 years old and a new one can be purchased for $105,000. There were more than $5,000 in repairs in 2018, Mr. Durocher said.
It will be used until the new one arrives in 2020, and then a decision will be made as to what to do with it. There was discussion of sending it to an outdoor rink, however, that could just be passing on major repair bills to another organization.
Public works manager Janet Collins spoke about the $1,154,221 transportation capital projects. These include $2,500 for sidewalk evaluation; $20,000 for GIS in 18 vehicles; $40,000 for a fuel management system; $56,666 2017 Tandem Truck payment; $77,145 on street lighting and $957,910 for roadwork on Cameron, Crawford, Lacroix Bay Road, Olmstead-Jeffery Lake Road and Grants Settlement Road.
It was agreed that the fuel management system would not be purchased this year.
The reserve schedule was also reviewed, and it’s expected there will be more than $1.7 million at year’s end.
Mr. Crozier reminded council that at the March 6 public meeting, discussions and reviews will occur on fees and charges, council remuneration and the 2019 budgets. (Whitewater News has published stories on all of these, this story being the final one.)
It’s then expected they will all be approved through bylaws and in May will be the passing of the tax rates.
